Infamous 0
by david.conaway1
Summary: Walton Barry was just a street performer living off the community after his parents die in a fire that left him scarred and bandaged all over his body. Them one day, he got the tip of a lifetime: a blast core.


Infamous 0  
(New Marais before the blood and Bertrand's transformation.)  
Militia malicious  
Milit-ious

You've heard of him haven't you?: The Demon of New Marais? I only recently heard the tale myself. The tale of a demon; the story of Cole Mcgrath. Here, I'll fill you in:

Not long ago, in the city of Empire, a man, a simple bike messenger, a lot like me in ways, received a package from his boss George to be delivered for about fifty bucks, a small chunk of cash but something that people like us need to stay alive all the same. When he got to the destination, he received a call to open the package. Inside...was the Ray Sphere.

On timed detonation, the Ray Sphere sucked the energy from every living thing in the area...about one thousand lost souls, and destroyed most of the Historic district of Empire City, as well as infecting millions with a sort of radiation sickness. All of this...so that one man... would become all powerful.  
Except he was no man; Cole Mcgrath was a conduit, a human with a special feature of nerves around their spinal cord that may grant special powers upon activation.

How do I know? Well, simple really: I too have powers. I am a conduit. Although my tale and Cole's are that of two separate stories, we have all too much in common.

My name is Walton Barry, and this is my side of the story.

Infamous 0

Walton "Barrier" Barry:

Select: map Start: pause menu  
Left stick: move (L3: locate items)  
Right stick: aim/look (R3: zoom in)  
(R3 while aiming: first person view)

X: jump (in air: air jump)  
Square: melee attack  
(hold to form construct sword)  
Triangle: block or finisher move  
Circle: take cover (while moving :roll)

X (in air) air jump - form material wall beneath you to jump off again from)  
(Hold x: material leap - launch from a tall pillar formed quickly beneath you)

Square: wall knuckles - melee  
(Hold: Barrier Blade - use finishers)  
Triangle: block/counter/finisher  
Circle: take cover (hold, moving: roll)

L1: aim and create force field barrier  
(also lifts nearby quick select shields)  
L1 and R1: fire shards (behind shield)  
L1 and x: summon permanent barrier  
(double tap: shield shards explosion)  
(hold: shield shove) (stays after use)  
L1 and square: cubic grenades -  
hurl used barriers at target. Form a large cube from nearby used barriers  
(double tap: explosion on impact)  
(hold): material fissure - fire several spikes out of new barriers to do damage and create used barriers  
(control with the Sixas wireless)  
L1 and triangle: particle missiles  
(hold: leave path behind to walk on)  
(double tap: detonate/stop early)

L1 and R2: wall tether - grab/throw  
(hold: pull yourself near a target)

(L1 double tap: quick summon cube)

Material shield: hold R1  
double tap: create wall in front  
Double tap: material charge

R1 + D-pads: quick summon walls  
(left, right, behind and above Walton)  
(double tap to have walls follow you)  
(hold to launch walls in pad direction)

R1 (hold) +: use abilities on injured  
X: mind control (evil: plus power up)  
Square: cubic crush (execution heal)  
Circle: square restrain (live capture)  
Triangle: heath wall (heals target))

R1 (hold) in air: wall surf (move straight forward, up gains height but looses momentum and slows you down, down increases speed and allows you to get higher by diving.)

R2: material trail (creates a path or ramp behind you for cars or people)  
(Hold down L2 to reuse old walls)  
(psionic protection while holding R2)

L2: Recovers oldest used shield  
(Double tap) recover all shields  
(hold) recovers shields upon summon

Up D-pad: precision shards  
Down D- Pad: Shard Storm  
Left D-Pad: Heroic Overload  
(charged by good deeds: invincibility)  
Right D-Pad: Chaotic Overload  
(charged by bad deeds: dual attacks )

(Only Walton and allies can pass or shoot through walls. Foes cannot.)

(Kuo Ice inspired powers)

1. It begins before the Beast, the flood, and even the electric man.

It all started as a normal day...at least for me. I got several disturbed looks on my way outside to my day job. I was young than;...I still am, but I hadn't felt that way in a long time.  
When I was young I was in a bad accident...really bad. The doctors said I should've been dead. Quite frankly, sometimes I wished I was. The episode left me pretty crippled, making it hard to even walk or move without feeling pain, and my face and body was badly burned and scared.  
I usually wore shades, a red bandana, a crimson wide brim hat I found in a store for 5 bucks and a red trench coat. Even in the hot weather, it was better to be looked at as wierd than as ugly. When I worked though, it was easier for me to be in this costume.

I was a street performer, doing what I could that was considered cool. I wasn't as good as everyone else though, which made sense since most had been doing it for all their lives to survive (a shady bunch usually).

I was never really good at it...or anything else really. I studied graphic design and took art classes in school, but I was never any good, hence, hear I am today...  
But it's gotten better...a lot better.

I found what looked like a shiny purple crystal in my guitar case one evening. After a song, as I gathered up the money and pick it up, some thief in a black hoodie grabbed it. I chased after him in the alleyway and pried the treasure from his fingers.

Then, as I hold the think in my hands, the guy pulls a tazer in me and fires.  
The pain was excruciating...but worth it. I saw the man try and escape as I reached out towards him, tying vainly in pain to grab him.  
The man stopped, banging into what seemed to be a wall that wasn't really there. Nothing that I could see made any sense, as I passed out in the ground.

I was walking along the edge of the city one day after "work", when i felt something. It was strange; I felt like there were thousands of souls in pain, and yet I still felt good...better than good actually. I soon found I could pick myself up much easier when I walked...as if something was helping to raise my feet, move my arms, protect myself and improve my reflexes. Once my timing and strength were better, I had less to worry about physically, and everything mentally fell into place.

My careers had both picked up. I was able to design and get sponsors for my own art work , and I was also able to put a unique spin on old mime skits. Small double jumps, leaning on walls that weren't there, it was all very convincing... since it was happening!

Tutorials:  
Look around (right analog)  
First person view (R3)  
Move (left stick)  
Look for walls nearby (L3)  
Jump (x)  
Double jump (x, x)  
Suspend in the air (R1)  
Create a wall (L1 and x)  
Lean against the wall (circle)  
Flip off the wall (move holding x)

It was all just the little stuff; I didn't want people finding out that I was some kind of superhuman or freak of nature; I was just trying to get by. It was all enough to get me noticed and gave me the confidence I needed to return to art and computers, as well as get back in shape, stand up for myself, and even get a girlfriend.

(Sophia walks up and talks with you. Suddenly a guy with a black ski mask snatches her pink purse and runs.)

Chase after their (Left stick)  
Estimate his location (L3)  
Block pistol bullet with barrier (L1)  
Dodge bulett (move and circle)  
Crouch behind cover (hold circle)  
Throw shard (L1 and aim, then R1)  
Confront enemy (triangle to talk)  
Block punch (triangle)  
Counter slower attack (hold triangle)  
Beat up enemy (square)  
Complete a combo (press triangle)  
Finish him! (hold R1 with him selected)

It was just then as I removed his mask that I recognized the guy! Scum! He was an all to common thief that kept coming back for more. His crimes just seemed to get worse and worse, and yet nothing was ever done about it. The sirens were going.

I knew it, this was the man who tried to steal my blast core! Never again!

I could end it right here and now! I can say it was self defense and things just got out of control. That wouldn't be the "right" thing to do, but the "smart" thing to do certainly isn't letting this man just have a timeout for five minutes like he's been getting. I guess the question now is "What's the BEST thing to do?"

Karma moment:  
Use weight (R1 and circle) to hold down enemy (GOOD KARMA), or crush enemy (R1 and square) to kill  
(EVIL KARMA).

Good cutscene:  
The cops couldn't figure out why it was so hard to drag the guy off o the ground and why he was so heavy. Still, after a little while they got him up in cuffs and took him away. As e was forced away, Sophia ran up to me and kisses my cheek, so thankful I was alright and unconcerned about the purse. Then the thief looked me in the eyes and said "I'll see her again soon." I realized just how much danger I put the woman I love in.

Still, he won't touch her; I'll always be there to protect her. I have to be. I can't loose anyone else...like I had almost lost my parents in the fire.

Evil cutscene:  
I looked down at the monster beneath my barrier, thankful I wasn't ever touching his dirty flesh with my bare hands. Yeah, these invisible brass knuckles of mine are good for one thing...and one thing only: death!

With my foot down on my shield I watched as the freak smiled at me...like the man who killed my parents, scarred me for life and burned my home to the ground.

He got out of jail through court... Like this guy had been getting loose...  
But not anymore.

The arsonist flashes in my brain over and over since that day. So, I thought of every rotten kid, corrupt teacher and wasted soul in my head and as I pressed down on the man with my foot I saw in the barrier's reflection the horrified faces of him and ALL of my enemies suffering, as the glass broke and destroyed the screaming faces.

I finally had my long awaited and much needed release...but it happened in front of my girlfriend's eyes. The cops came later too... And I could see in their eyes the pity that had for this scum! Well, they can no longer protect the man... from hell!

Sophia was relieved to see me ok and thankful for what I had done...but I saw the fear in her eyes as we walked away to be questioned, and I wandered if I had done the proper thing.

2.

After the talk with the police, my girl and I headed out for a night out to eat. I was doing pretty well with tips from my hobby and cash from my job, but Sophia always seemed to be pretty solid in the wealth. I guess her family invests in some group of scientists nearby in the area...ones that I would meet and get to know all too soon enough.

Sophia: "So, are you getting the bill, Mr Hero?"  
Barry: "What? I always gotta be the gentleman?"  
Sophia: "Tehe! Yep.  
"I gotta pee, brb."

Ugh, I love the girl, but I know she has a ton of cash in that purse of hers. I'm not even sure if I have enough on me to pay for it all. I can't be the jerk and ask her to pay, but I didn't wrestle that purse away from a maniac just to let the money to to waste. It's not like I would be taking all of it; this just saves me the issue of asking for it. What should I do?

Karma moment:  
Good - Ask for Sophia to split the check with you.  
Evil - Steal enough money from Sophia's purse to help pay for dinner.

After the bill was paid we headed out with my arm over her. A few people recognized me still in my show outfit and stopped to say hi. I was getting a lot of attention and even signing a few autographs. I didn't want to be to cocky or risk being "found out," but that shine in Sophia's eyes...and her smile...I knew she has been very proud of me and happy that she "let me win" a first date with her.

Three weeks after the day I got my powers I was taking it easy with a cardboard box and some games of "Find the Queen." My reflexes had gotten so good that I was really able to bump cards around well enough that even with three tries most people ended up loosing at my dollar for dollar gamble. Then I saw her...  
She had beautiful long brownish blond hair blowing in the wind with a busty chest and a great figure to go with it, but the smile is what really got me as she walked along the plaza with her friends. A normally shy me from long ago would have just kicked himself in the foot as he let the pretty beautiful girl cross b his path, likely never to be seen or heard from again.

But that was no longer me; even with my facial scars I felt like I had a fair shot. I was feeling brave, so when I called her over to play a round for a twenty, I asked if she would allow me to have one chance with her for three chances herself. She took off those shades and those big beautiful eyes mesmerized me temporarily as she smiled and said yes.

They were pretty good eyes to functionallytoo, it seemed that as I flipped my cards and pulled every one of my tricks I had up my sleeve, she knew just where to look.

She won and I handed her the twenty, as she put the piece of paper away with her phone number on it. I made small talk for a while and she stayed though...for a little while. i asked I she's stay for a talk or the company, but she said that she had to go.

I had butterflies in my stomach as she put the paper down in front of me... Walking away and slyly looking back twice. The first time was when I saw that the paper was either different or had nothing on it in the first place,... and the second was when I gathered my cards together to find a phone number written in pink pen on the queen of hearts...my queen of hearts.

It was quite an awkward first date with them, and I had called her once... secretly three times, hanging up at first to cancel, and I said to her about what happened to me... and my scars. She didn't mind one bit!

We talked sweetly to each other as we entered the alleyway back to her place, where I had been staying since the recent storm surged out in my old home town in New Marais by the water. I told her about my old scars  
and how my place burned down when I was just a kid in fourth grade. I had lost everything, my patents, my home and my self respect as kids pick on me.

Little did I know at the time, I would soon loose them and everything else in the flood.

We were a little tipsy and flirty...as she pulled my bandana down for a kiss, looking me straight in the eyes and telling me how wonderful of a person I was and that all the money in the world don't mean anything!  
That is... It didn't mean a thing without me bring there for her; I was her priceless treasure.

Even with the scars... She loves me.

Speaking of bits, I guess she knew a little of what I was going through. She was an awesome surfer as had an encounter with a great white about a year after I got my powers. She said it made her look ugly...having that thing around her leg. I said for the first time that I thought she was beautiful, and I told her that the bite mark it left made her look badass!

We laughed so hard... again, just thinking about it all... until they showed up...

A group of armed thugs in camo popped out looking for a bounty that was on my head. No one else would understand but a conduit like me; my secret was out, and now if I don't do something, the woman I love will be a casualty. They were known as the Terran.

It was the militia, working with a group called the First Sons.

During my time in the orphanages I began to understand how kids were granted with special powers hidden within them and around me. Someone was apparently trying to round us all up. Apparently since that fire should have killed me, and since I had the conduits gene unknowingly, I made it on the list, despite having no clear powers to hide. They guided me through classes and college, trying to get in my good graces, but they apparently hung me out to dry after I earned my degree, not seeing any potential within me to be a conduit.

Their loss...but maybe now they want to try and get me back...by whatever means necessary.

Anyway, they won't take me alive...

Take Sophia's hand and dodge with her running (move and circle).  
Turn around in the alleyway and put up a barrier (L1 and X).  
Navigate through the alleyways.  
Drop walls behind you to hold off the thugs (double tap R1 while moving)

You exit the alley and find five men with their guns aimed at you.

Summon a barrier (double tap R1).

Bullets reflect off the shield.  
Walton: My turn. (glowing)

Launch a barrier at your opponents  
(L1 and hold x).  
Finish them all off from whims the quick shield (L1 and R1 while aiming.)

Enemies are all stunned from the impact and go flying. Slow motion shard launches from Walton impact their heads and gush out blood, killing them.

I felt so powerful, like I was invincible.

I looked back at Sophia, alarmed at what her reaction to all of this might be. She just stared out at the dead men, in awe rather than total shock...

Then the black car came peeling out from behind the statue. I wish I would've just got in with the strange woman now in heinsight. Oh well...

Kuo: Walton Barry?  
Walton: Yeah?  
Kuo: (opens door) Come with me if you two want to live.  
(Sophia moves in towards the car, but Walton stops her.)  
Walton: No...no, this...this doesn't feel right! I can't trust you, no matter how many action movie I've seen!  
Kuo: My name is Agent Kuo, and I've been sent here to protect you from...  
Walton: I don't believe you, and we can take care of ourselves. C'mon.  
(Walton pulls Sophia by the arm away from the vehicle.)

Continue to flee down the next alley.

(You run out in front of a car with a reckless driver inside. He is clearly intoxicated.) Driver: Hey! Watch it!

This guy shouldn't be behind the wheel anyway, the jerk, and we need a quick way out of hear. I suppose I could pull this asshole out through the window and Sophia and I can take off and leave him to get hurt or die.  
Is it stealing? Or commandeering?

Karma moment:  
Run away from the driver and flee from the armed men on foot (Good), or hijack the man from his car and use it to escape (Evil).

Whether through the alleyways on foot or the streets in the car, Sophia mentions for Walton to do what he must and not to worry. Her father could more than likely pull some strings and claim it as self defense.

They end up at a dead end (either through running or wrecking), and Walton holds off the soldiers as best as he can, worrying the dreadful cars the enemy had and nervous about his ability to stop them with his shield. Sophia stays curled up into a ball near the ground on her feet, her hands overlong her ears from all the bullets.

Agent Kuo pulls around the enemy and in front of the group, getting out and drawing her pistol as he and her car are fired upon. She yells for Walton and Sophia to get in, and they comply with no other option.  
They are able to drive off after getting in with Walton's shield protecting them and escape.

Sophia is escorted to be alive and Kuo turns to check on them, but Walton passes out in exhaustion.

Good karma:

Walton wakes up in a hospital room with Sophia by his side. All of the allegations gave been dropped in the cases involving them. Kuo leans in to check on him and pick up Sophia to get some of her things in her apartment (since she hasn't left Walton's side.) A doctor leans in to check if it's a bad time to talk or not.

Kuo goes to introduce him, but Walton passes out again.

He wakes to see the Dr, who is not recognized be Walton due to his amnesia. The man reintroduces himself as Dr. Wolfe and explains himself as the caretaker and donor to the orphanages Walton and other Conduits have ended up in.

They practice Walton's moves in bed.

Hold R1 to draw object in your hand.  
Use R1 + D-pad to summon shields.  
Up for above you, down for behind, left for left, right for right.  
(double tap to have follow you)  
(hold to launch in direction)

The gang reunite later, check out I the hospital and head for Dr. Wolfe's secret lab.

Evil Karma

Walton wakes up in a blue test tube with a doctor nearby in font of him.  
there is a handgun on a metal rack nearby.

Hold R1 to trace out a weapon.  
Hold L1 and R1 while the doctor is not looking to carve out an opening.

Walton bursts out and grabs the gun.

Dr. Wolfe: You and I both know that you do not need that.  
Walton: I'm just making a point.  
Dr. Wolfe: Point made, but I can assure you Walton I know, in fact I know almost all that there is to know about you. My name is Dr. Wolfe, and  
Walton: I know who you are. I recognize you from the orphanage.  
Dr. Wolfe: Correct (sits down on a chair with a table.)  
Walton: (joins him, gun still pouring)  
You care to explain what all of this is about? Ate you worki for bad guys?

Wolfe explains that he once was serving the wishes of a terrorist group known as the First Sons, searching out and studying conduits and ray field energy to unlock their talent. However, the experiments became to powerful and graphic, and so Dr. Wolfe reached out to the NSA government branch. He became a mole.

Walton hears a click from behind him.

Press R1 &the back D pad to quickly summon a shield behind you.

Kuo's bullet is blocked.

Hold R1 & the back d-pad to launch a shield behind you.

Kuo is nicked to the ground and looses her gun. Wolfe tries to intervene but is pushed back down by Walton, who shoots the other gun before emptying the ammo in his and tossing it aside, interrogating Kuo.

Sophia ones in behind her, running to Walton and they embrace. She apologizes for leaving him, saying she had to to help convince her dad to help them. The court proceedings don't look good an they'll have to hide out for a good while together, so Kuo took her to pick up some of her things from her apartment.

They were followed...

Press R1 & the up D-Pad to form a shield above your head.

Glass sharers from the roof and enemies pour in.

Walton must creat all five walls to protect everyone. With no energy left he is given a gun. She and Kuo are able to shoot through the barriers while the enemy has their bullets blocked.

When they are all killed, the fan pile into a van for Dr. Wolfe's hidden lab.

3.

After 8 days of hiding out...

Sophia was taking me to meet her father for the first time. Joseph Bertrand. Definitely a Southerner and one of the most religious an wealthiest men I have ever known.  
He and Sophia had both seemed to know "wonderful things about me."

In heinsight, maybe it was all a setup.

Anyway, they had chicken there for dinner and my first ever real girlfriend insisted that if we didn't talk about God or the best college football team that we would be fine.

Cant complain, even now?

Sophia really did live a sheltered life with her father's militia following her everywhere. Now though she insisted to him that after that she had met me and i killed those camo guys and stopped the thief she would be ok.  
He agreed...

...it was shortly after seeing and hugging her father again when Sophia first discovered my powers, and in turn must've told her father. He approache me with a deal, to lead his Militia out to capture those like me in this newly lawless town. Things would get only worse with the impending flood coming...something Bertrand also claimed to be the work of conduits himself. He also seemed to know much about my gift...all too much. I guessed he and Sophia were also carriers as that he was working with a special group called the First Sons to examine and expand on these abilities through a device called the Ray Sphere. He would help me develop powers too, and together we could stop gangs like the Terran.

"When do we begin?" I asked  
They...were just outside as grenades went off and the door busted open to Ak-47's.

Diffeat the invaders.  
(Sophia hides under table, help Bertrand with his handgun and his armed milita guards stop the forced entry into Bertrand's mansion.

Walton: Your bodyguards are very impressive sir. If these tree-huggers are just dorks like this shooting blind then I'd say we've got nothing to worry about. With your men helping...

Bertrand: My boy, I'm afraid that ain't even the half of it...

Rumor is that they are a bunch of hippie teens and social rebels that got their hands on some powerfully contaminated drugs. Now they just keep coming back for more each time they die, and someone seems to be helping them get access to police assault riffles and such...bit like most need it. While the majority are just in the drugs, some are conduits like me.

(Past levels involving hunting the wind, earth and water elementals.)

14 hours later:...

Bertrand: Now we attack their home!

The gang I guess hands out at the parks. To the naked eye they are just normal thugs, but when they get shot down, they rot and mulch up, healing right in the spot with a little mud!

After the first battle in the park, everyone came and cheered their push back into the swamps from which they came; Bertrand stood proud beside me with his cane in one hand and his pistol in the other.  
He even let Sophia, who insisted on coming but was order to stay at the mansion with her guards because it was safer there, come out too. I was nice to have a fatherly figure again... And it was very nice to kiss a beautiful girl in front of dozens in loyal fans to me and the militia.  
Looks like I'll need a new outfit.

Suddenly, out from the swamp, a large tree stump was thrown into the square, and following it was a mass of stone and wood all ground up into a giant of a body! The guards shot but were quickly slapped aside with detaching fists connected to roots.

"Only a rock can break a rock."  
(Bounce back the stuff it throws.)


End file.
